Hello, 2016! Big Things Ahead…

Dear Reader, welcome to 2016! I always love a new year. It’s a new chance, a fresh start, an opportunity to rethink and reimagine. I mean, 2015 had some amazing highlights, but I’m not looking back. I’m looking ahead to all the supercool stuff happening this year.

First, you may have heard I am “back in the saddle,” as I’ve decided to return to a more hands on role running the day-to-day at my family’s business, Rodale Inc. Well, the truth is, in the past two years I actually never got out of the saddle; I was extra active in pursuit of new adventures, perspectives and ideas—both professionally and personally. So as we open up a new year, fresh with ambition and optimism, these adventures and research have shown me some new paths forward, and throughout the year you’re going to be seeing and hearing about them. Nothing to announce today, except that I am excited about this year, even though the challenges ahead are immense. My focus is and always will be on what you, our readers, our customers, and our friends need and want. So never hesitate to let me know!

Second, I know that many of you have appreciated my recipes over the past six (!) years. Well, this October, get ready for MY FIRST COOKBOOK! It’s called Scratch. In it are more than 200 recipes, many of your comments and suggestions, and lots of tips and techniques for “home cooking made fun, simple, and totally delicious.”

But that’s not all! 🙂 After I finished the manuscript for Scratch around Thanksgiving 2015, I had that tiny fear that I might never want to cook and make up recipes ever again. I thought maybe I’d blown my recipe arsenal. That turned out to not be true. After about five weeks, I started up again with that desperate need to figure out how to make food that’s both super simple and delicious. So you’ll continue to see recipes here that aren’t in my cookbook. Which means that one day I will have to write another cookbook: Scratch, The Sequel.

Lastly, I feel that in the past year, I’ve grown in ways I never thought possible. I’ve grown in my understanding and appreciation of almost everything, from being a woman (and a woman in business) and a writer and artist to being a human being fascinated by the mystical and spiritual possibilities that surround us. I believe we are on the frontiers of understanding the ways in which our own hearts and minds and creative power influence our health, our environment, and our lives together on this planet. You’re going to hear lots more from me about those kinds of things this year. But here’s something I know for sure: This year, we are all going to shine!

I’ve never been much of a cook, but all my life I’ve loved to grow and become a better person, make the world a better place, etc. So I Iook forward to the New Year and learning with you how to Shine!!

Love it! I’m excited to hear more about Scratch:-). You’re doing a launch in October? That’s a perfect month, and have you thought of a booth at the Runner’s World festival? Just another advertising avenue:-) It’ll be a success and worth all the effort.

I’m excited for the new year too:-). I’ve decided this year to be more “Gung ho”. I’m working with my web designer to revamp my blog at bethadair.com and want to tell details of my adventures abroad on layovers with my job as a flight attendant. I’ve also had another fun idea, to rally to foreign runners on my layovers about the Runner’s World festival and to mention the US version of Runner’s World. (Social media has helped get hooked up with these peeps and I’ll use my blog to describe and social media posts on my website to show my adventures). I’ll admit, I’m still learning social media, but thus far, it’s proved helpful.

May will be a fun month too. I have a photo shoot planned with Brian and Jenny Ankers. They are athletes in Ireland and we are going to work together on scenic shots taken by David Clifford Photography in scenic Ireland. (Come on sun, and rain stay away).

Most Popular

Drawing on findings from leading health researchers as well as conversations with both chemical and organic farmers from coast to coast, Maria Rodale irrefutably outlines the unacceptably high cost of chemical farming on our health and our environment.

About Maria

By day I’m chairman and CEO of one of the largest independent publishers left in America. By night I’m simply M.O.M. (which stands for Mean Old Mom). I’m a writer, cook, organic enthusiast, romance novel lover, and major music fan who does yoga.Read more